


We alternate, aware or unaware,

by Samsonet



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Absolutely nothing suspicious going on here, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:55:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21542596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samsonet/pseuds/Samsonet
Summary: If you have money, resources, power -- won't you use them?HERE BE SPOILERS. Sorta.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 89





	We alternate, aware or unaware,

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the poem "Love" by Elizabeth Browning.
> 
> This takes place around 2012 or so. For the sake of simplicity I’m assuming the games take place relative to each other in the same timeframe they were released: XY in 2013, Sun/Moon in 2016, and Sword/Shield in 2019.

There’s money and then there’s money.

Even in a multiregional celebration like this, where everyone represents not only themselves but their regions and companies, it’s easy to tell who worked for their money and who inherited theirs. Perhaps more importantly, Rose can easily tell who is using their money for the future or who is hoarding wealth merely for their present greed.

It’s why he’s drawn to a corner where two exceptional people are talking.

He knows of them, of course. The woman whose hair curls around her like a cocoon is Lusamine, of the Aether Foundation. The almost freakishly-tall man with the stylish fur jacket is Lysandre, inventor of the holocaster.

Beside them, Rose must look so plain.

Lusamine notices him first. _Forgive me,_ she says. _This conversation will not be very interesting to you if you don’t speak Kalosian._

 _Do not worry,_ Rose says in return. _I am fluent. My name is Rose. I am the chairman of the Galarian Pokémon League._

Lusamine and Lysandre glance at each other. Then Lysandre speaks.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” He introduces himself, introduces Lusamine. It’s all polite conversation, the kind all three of them must engage in on a regular basis, but there’s an energy here that is absent from the rest of the room. These three aren’t the idle rich; they are all working on _something._

What those “somethings” are remains to be seen.

At first, they gossip about the others in the room. Kalosian isn’t too commonly spoken, especially here, and they feel confident about not being overheard. Even if they are -- who would cause a scene? They’re the beautiful elite.

Speaking of the others around them eventually means speaking of their respective leagues. The region Lusamine calls home doesn’t have one, from what Rose understands, but she seems uninterested in explaining what, if anything, they _do_ have.

Lysandre says, “My friend, Augustine, is looking for young trainers to enlist for his research. I expect he will send them on the gym challenge.”

“Ah, an endorsement?”

“In a sense.” Lysandre reaches with one of his long arms, getting the attention of a passing waitress. He and Lusamine take flutes of champagne; Rose declines politely. “In Kalos, trainers do not need an official league endorsement to participate. For what it’s worth, it is easy to pick out the truly talented. Every child Augustine has supported is superior to all other challengers. Of course, they have had my support, as well.”

Lusamine smiles, her uncovered eye shining. “I see. So, in a way, they are your children as well, aren’t they?”

“Hm. In a way.”

“It must be so lovely, watching the young ones grow.” She places her hand under her chin in detached amusement. “My children are a few years too young for their challenges, but I am so happy to see them growing every day.”

She casts her gaze on Rose. “What about you, Chairman? Do you have any children of your own?”

He thinks of Bede. That boy with the fairytale face, the boy who had received Rose’s gifts with reverence and gratitude, the boy Rose was going to endorse for the gym challenge in the future, the boy with such skill and ambition and childlike hope.

There is no official relationship between them. If he’s honest, Rose isn’t sure he can even say there is mutual familial affection. And yet…

“I have a son,” he says. “I see great things in his future. But of course, what parent wouldn’t?”

Lusamine nods. Lysandre gives a noncommittal grunt. They’re about halfway through their glasses.

Upstairs, there’s supposed to be an exhibition match as the night’s entertainment. It’s Hoenn’s Steven Stone against Unova’s Drayden Theras. Rose is certain that they are both exceptional trainers, but -- well, their regions don’t do Dynamaxing, and without that, he tends to find matches rather boring.

It seems his conversation partners have similar feelings, because as most of the room wanders out, the three of _them_ move only to a newly-emptied table. The waiters bring them water and alcohol, then seem to disappear into the background.

It is Rose who first brings up his concerns. It comes through naturally, what with his business being energy and all. 

“Our region has been revolutionized by Dynamax energy, but I worry about what will happen in the coming years if we continue as we are now.”

Lysandre’s eyes grow sharp. “You are wise to be concerned. Every day in Kalos, I see _saleté absolue_ , what is the word -- absolute filth -- who have no respect for the scarce resources we depend on. They make the world so... ugly.”

“It’s a pity, isn’t it,” Lusamine muses. “The more time I devote to my research, the more I see of how beautiful a world _completely unlike_ ours would be.”

“It is frustrating, certainly. I love my region; I cannot bear the thought of it falling into ruin.” Rose sips his water. It grows warm, too quickly, in his hands.

Two days ago, he shook the Galarian champion’s hand at a public relations event. The boy was fourteen years old and had the strength necessary to protect the region -- but not the cunning. It kept Rose awake at night, to think Galar’s future was in the hands of a child like this. The boy could be controlled; his little brother ensured that. But gathering the wishing stars, bringing about the Darkest Day -- that would take time, and Rose didn’t know how much he had left.

“It’s nice to have dreams, even at our age, yes?” Lusamine laughs, polite and hollow. “My region does not have a Champion, but when I was young, I used to think of what I would do if I was as strong as one. I wanted to find a different world, a world filled only with love. What about you, Lysandre?”

“If I were as strong as a Champion… I would recreate the world, from the ground up. I would do everything in my power to make sure its beauty never fades.”

They both look to Rose.

Rose does not have the same frames of reference as they do. He's never seen the depravity that disturbs Lysandre, or the ugliness that makes Lusamine's face sour to discuss it. He is only one man, running one company, supporting one league, controlling one region.

Rose isn’t as strong as a Champion. But he has the Champion at his command, and that might be better.

He leans back, gazing out around the ballroom. “My goals are more humble than yours, I admit. I know I am no visionary. I only want to ensure the Galar region will continue to shine in the years to come.”

He falls silent, looking away.

To bring about a new world, to escape to a better one, to merely ensure this one survives… They’re all noble goals, he thinks.

He raises his glass. “To a bright future for us all.”

“To a bright future.”

**Author's Note:**

> Giovanni, coming in fashionably late: what'd I miss


End file.
